Anthony Joshua vs. Wladimir Klitschko: 5 keys to the fight

Joshua’s athleticism

At 41, it’s completely understandable that Wladimir Klitschko struggles against athletic and fast fighters who can match his imposing physical stature. Such was the case against Tyson Fury, as the then-challenger’s swift foot movement, upper body contortions and feints befuddled the somewhat robotic and predictable Klitschko.

If the now-former heavyweight king is at his best when each fight is the stylistic offspring of its predecessor, Fury demonstrated that giving Klitschko different angles and looks and beating him to the punch in a mere handful of exchanges is enough to eek out a decision. Add Anthony Joshua’s raw power and combination punching into the mix, and it’s clear that Klitschko, after such a lengthy layoff, faces imposing odds.

Joshua-Klitschko, however, won’t nearly resemble the Fury fight because Joshua’s a different type of boxer — one who relies less on movement and boxing from range; much of this is due to Joshua having been able to steamroll every single inferior foe he’s faced, so it stands to reason that he’ll be somewhat more defensive and cautious against Klitschko, which mean’s he’ll need to rely on his athleticism and reflexes early.

Even if Joshua doesn’t employ as much foot movement as Fury, his upper body and head cannot remain stationary. Joshua is incredibly quick, and he must employ this advantage to draw Klitschko out of position if he head hunts. Although Joshua can use athleticism edges in terms of hand speed and combination punching to score and bank rounds, this natural superiority will serve him best defensively — by helping to negate Klitschko’s jab, for example — as he eases into the fight.